The Distance Between Hearts
by Voltaire The Second
Summary: A fallen hero returns in a brilliant flash of light. As he returns, events unfold that will change the Kingdom of Auradon forevermore. With everything he knows gone and changed, how will Sora deal with the descendants of his friends and foes? Can he prevent the return of an old foe? More importantly, can you truly measure the distance between hearts?


**It's been far too long since I've written anything, let me tell you. I've retired from my illustrious military career and have found that I have a lot more free time. With the advent of Disney+, I was able to watch "Descendants" and I thought to myself, "Wow, that would make a really good combo with Kingdom Hearts", and here we are. Any constructive criticism y'all can offer me would be greatly appreciated!**

* * *

**Descendants Rise, Old Heros Fall **

A never ending sky, as bright and clear as his old islands used to be. An unending ocean, clear and blue as his eyes. Sora opened his eyes to this familiar sight, at first confused as to where he was.

"Am I still dreaming?" the keybearer wondered aloud. However upon realizing that he never visited his Station of Awakening, he quickly realized where he was. This was in fact, "The Final World", the place where all hearts return after they die. One thing he didn't understand was, what was he doing here?

"Ah, I was wondering how long you were gonna stay asleep!" a chipper voice squeaked out. Sora shot up from his resting place, Keyblade appearing in his hand.

"Not even up 5 seconds, and I've already got someone ambushing me? Who's there?!" Sora demanded. At first, no one answered him, but what followed that silence was a blinding flash of light. Sora instinctually covered his eyes with his free hand, waiting for the heat from the light to die down. Once it did, Sora was surprised to see none other than little Chirithy standing before him.

"Now that's the kind of greeting I get from you after not seeing you for years? Geeze, some friend you are Sora." the mysterious being said, berating Sora. Sora could only scratch his head and laugh sheepishly in response. Dismissing his Keyblade, Sora knelt down closer to Chirithy and held out his hand.

"Sorry about that Chirithy, you surprised me. But never mind that! What am I doing in The Final World? The last thing I remember is...is..." Sora trailed off. He couldn't remember what he was doing before he woke up here.

"That's kind of a long story Sora, but lucky for you, that's why I'm here." Chirithy explained. Sora looked at the odd creature skeptically for a moment, but decided to hear him out. The Keyblade's chosen one took a seat next to his friend and stared out into the vast clearing that laid before him. Truly, this was the place where the sea and sky met, as the water below perfectly reflected the sky above.

"After you and the other Guardians of Light defeated Xehanort and his Organization, you left in an effort to find Kairi. Somehow, you followed her heart by listening to yours and you found her. You brought her all the way back to your world, the Destiny Islands. Unfortunately…" Chirithy trailed off. Sora listen intently, as this all sounded familiar. He remembered his final clash against the old master. He, Goofy, and Donald had all come together, and through the power of their friendship had overcome Xehanort and the power of the x-blade. He even remembered departing on his journey to find Kairi's heart after she had been struck down by Xehanort. It's what happened after that, that confused Sora. There were only bits and pieces of his memory that would come to him if he tried to recall.

"Unfortunately what? Chirithy, what happened to me after I found Kairi?" Sora inquired. Chirithy shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. Truth be told, he seemed to be looking everywhere except at Sora.

"You...died." Chirithy said quietly. Sora blinked Once.

Twice.

Three times.

And then burst out laughing.

"That's a good one Chirithy. How could I have died if I'm still here?" Sora asked, but almost worriedly It was certainly an odd thing to joke about. Chirithy looked to Sora with what appeared to be a frown adorning his round features.

"Take a look at where you are Sora. You're in the Final World, the place where hearts return to. Your heart came here after you died because the strain it took to find Kairi killed you. You've been gone for nearly 20 years." Chirithy explained. Sora just looked at his small friend. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

20 years? There was just no way, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. That could be why he doesn't remember anything after he left to find Kairi. It would explain why he was in the Final World.

"If...if I've really been dead, then why am I back? How am I back? What happened to Riku, Kairi, and all the others?" Sora asked. Part of him was afraid of the answer, but he needed to know. Chirithy sighed, and then looked up towards the sky.

"After Xehanort woke Kingdom Hearts, a type of...convergence happened. Every world seemingly combined into one. The original world that had split apart after the Keyblade War had been recreated. King Mickey had united all the people into one sovereign nation, and banished all the villains on one island. Not too long after that, a new threat appeared. Even I'm not sure on all the details, but...your friends were victorious in that battle, but it cost them their lives. All of them. I'm sorry Sora." Chirithy explained sadly. Sora didn't know when the tears started cascading down his cheeks, but he knew that they weren't stopping any time soon. Riku, the king, Donald, Goofy, even Kairi? All gone? He couldn't believe it.

"They're all gone? All of them? But...no! No! You're wrong!" Sora cried out. He started pounding into the water-like floor underneath him in rage and agony. If he had been there, he could have saved them.

He could have protected them.

If only he had come back sooner.

Chirithy just watched his friend scream and cry. He knew that Sora was hurting and that he needed to get it out of his system, but that didn't make it any less painful to watch. Chirithy wasn't the most experienced with how humans dealt with their emotions, but from his time with Ventus and the others, he was slightly more experienced in these situations. He walked up to his friend and put his small paw on Sora's arm. The sudden touch caused the young man to jolt out of his despair for a moment.

"You still have me Sora. You're not completely alone, so remember that." the small creature pointed out. Sora could only stare at Chirithy for a moment.

'_How could I forget that?' _Sora thought to himself. He evened himself out onto the ground once more, and then used his free arm to dry the tears that were still wet upon his face.

"Yeah, you're right. Thank you, Chirithy. I guess I lost myself for a moment there. Still, this is...this is going to be hard. All my strength came from them." Sora lamented. Chirithy could only nod in response.

"I understand what you mean Sora. After I lost my friend, I lost my way for a while too. But you have a gift Sora. You can make a bond with almost anyone in the world, like you did with me. You gave me hope, and the courage to go and finally find my friend. I think that's why Kingdom Hearts chose to bring you back. You'll be back to your old self in no time at all. At least, that's what I think." Chirithy said, trying to cheer up his friend. Sora smiled in response, lightly laughing at Chirithy's remark.

He was that is, until what Chirithy had said finally clicked.

"Wait, Kingdom Hearts? What do you mean Kingdom Hearts chose me?" Sora questioned. Chirithy looked at the young Keybearer oddly for a second, but then jumped in surprise.

"Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that part." Chirithy remarked, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"You forgot?! That seems like a pretty important thing to forget, don't ya think?" Sora questioned impatiently. Chirithy wasn't phased by Sora's distress however, and motioned for Sora to settle down.

"I was getting there! Now then, you asked me how and why you were brought back from the dead, right?" Chirithy asked rhetorically. Sora still couldn't believe that he had actually died, but even struggling with that thought, he nodded numbly.

"You, Sora, wielded the x-blade. You've had more interactions with Kingdom Hearts than anyone else. You've saved more people than you could possibly imagine, and you've managed to redeem the irredeemable. Did you think that the heart of all worlds was just some inanimate object? It's been watching you since your journey began, showering you with it's never ending light, and its chosen you for an important mission. That's why it's brought you back from the dead." Chirithy explained. Sora didn't really know what to say. He never really considered himself that important or worthy by any means. The keyblade didn't even choose him, it chose Riku.

"So then...what am I supposed to do now? Obviously, I'm here for a reason, so what's the plan?" Sora asked, genuinely curious. Regardless of the reason, he was here now, he wanted to make the most of it. Everyone doesn't get a second shot at life, and it's what Riku and Kairi would have wanted, he was sure of it.

"I'm not exactly sure on the details, all I know is a great evil is putting plans into motion. Old evils that I think you may be acquainted with. You need to put a stop to their plans Sora, or the world may be lost to darkness." the small creature informed the keybearer.

"Gotcha...so who am I stopping?" Sora asked.

"I don't know" replied Chirithy.

"Well...how do I stop whatever's coming?"

"I don't know that either."

"What do you know?

"That you'll do a great job!" Chirithy replied with enthusiasm, causing Sora to sigh deeply.

"You're a great help, you know that Chirithy?" Sora asked sarcastically. The small creature gave what appeared to be a cheeky smile in response to Sora's remark, causing him to sigh again in response. The keyblade's chosen was about to retort, but a deep rumbling stopped Sora in his tracks. The blue sky began to darken with black storm clouds overhead, and a strong wind began to blow.

"Chirithy, what's going on?" Sora asked in a panic. Chirithy just stood there as if nothing was going on, staring at Sora solemnly.

"It's time. You have to go now Sora." the small creature replied sadly. The winds began to blow harder as the booming thunder overhead became louder. The cracks of air were causing the surface to shake violently, and the once solid water they stood upon began to tremble and stir.

"But what am I supposed to do!?" Sora cried over the fierce wind and howling thunder. The young keybearer could only barely hear Chirithy's response before being swept off his feet.

"Believe in yourself, and may your heart be your guiding key." was the last thing Sora heard before he lost consciousness. The young lad was blown through a portal that had opened up behind him, leading him to a brand new world.

* * *

The United States of Auradon had enjoyed some 20 years of peace since the union of the worlds. The former king Mickey, had lost his life fighting a valiant battle, and queen Minnie soon passed from a broken heart. The king's brother, Oswald, had no intention of ruling and sought to enjoy his simple life. With no clear successor, the country held its first election. Many vied for the position of Auradon's new king, but in the end the winner was a surprise to most. The Beast, now known as Adam, and Belle were elected as the country's new king and queen. They've ruled the country fairly and justly over the past 15 years, but they felt that it was time for the next generation to have it's chance. Enter, Prince Benjamin.

The Prince of Auradon stood anxiously in his fitting room, being carefully measured for his upcoming coronation. However, he hardly cared for the politics of it all, or having all the right measurements for an outfit he would hardly ever wear. No, the would-be-king had his sights set on an island that sat miles away from Auradon's closest port. This island was the Island of the Lost, where King Mickey had banished all of the world's villains, villainous sidekicks, and evildoers some 20 years ago.

'_20 years have passed since King Mickey gave the decree to move all the villains to the island. Given that time frame, the first generation born on that island would be around my age. This may just work…' _Prince Benjamin, or Ben, as he preferred to be called, thought to himself. Truth be told, Ben already knew the first decree he wanted to pass as the king of Auradon. He was sure he was doing the right thing, but he couldn't help but be worried about what his friends and family would think of the idea. He didn't want to disappoint or worry anyone, but his heart was telling him that this was the right thing to say.

'_What was it that King Mickey and the other's used to say? May my heart be my guiding key? Well heart, please guide me in the right direction.' _Ben prayed. As if it were preordained, Ben's parents walked through the doors, greeting their son with a warm smile. 20 years had been kind to Adam and Belle, who had both barely aged a bit.

"I can't believe you're about to be crowned, son. You're much too young to be a king! I didn't make a good decision until I was at least 42." King Adam had joked, much to Belle's displeasure.

"Is that so honey? I recall you proposing to me at 28." Queen Belle had pointed out irately. Adam, realizing that he may have gotten himself into trouble, quickly tried to make light out of the situation.

"Well, it was either you or a teapot, dear." Adam replied with a smile. This only further annoyed Belle, who huffed and looked away from her husband, and towards her son, whom she looked upon with pride. From Ben's perspective, it was almost hard to believe that his father was once a cold hearted beast, and that his mother once held no love for that beast. The stories of their beautiful world also being comprised of many smaller worlds was also hard to believe, but the testimonies of so many people brought truth to that fable. Regardless of that fact though, the king and queen of Auradon seemed to be in a good mood.

'_Well, it's now or never.' _Ben thought to himself.

"Mom, Dad, I've chosen my first official proclamation as king." Ben declared. This seemed to catch his parents off guard, as their casual smile seemed to adopt a more stern look. They didn't say anything, but motioned for their son to continue. Ben swallowed the lump in his throat and continued.

"I've decided that the first generation of children from the Isle of the Lost be given a chance to live with us, here in Auradon." the next in line said with conviction. His parents seemed too stunned to speak at first, so Ben seized the opportunity to explain himself. Stepping down from the podium, he walked over to the window and pointed to the island as if to accentuate his point, much to the annoyance of his attendant.

"Every time I look out to that island, I feel like they've been abandoned; like we've abandoned them. It's not fair to the new generation!" Ben declared passionately, hoping that he was making some kind of sense to his parents. Adam had finally regained his senses, and spoke up.

"You want the children of our sworn enemies living amongst us?" Adam questioned heatedly. Ben regained his composure and took a more relaxed stance against his father. This is where logic came through.

"Not all of them. Not at first anyway. We'll only start out with a few, just the ones who need our help the most." Ben said cooly. Belle nodded her head in understanding. She may not have completely agreed with her son's idea, but she could tell that his heart was in the right place. If for no other reason, she would listen to him for that alone.

"I've already chosen the children, actually." Ben commented, seeing how his parents didn't say anything. This caused Adam to walk closer to his son.

"Have you?" Adam questioned, almost threateningly. Ben shrank back from his father, almost out of fear. Realizing this, Belle put a hand on her husband's shoulder, stopping them.

"I gave you a second chance." she said to Adam, calming him down almost instantly. She looked back to her son, continuing. "Who are their parents?" she asked. Ben straightened up, readying the bombshells he was about to drop on his parents.

"Cruella de Ville, Jafar, The Evil Queen and… Maleficent."

"Maleficent!? She's the worst villain in the land! The mistress of all evil!" Adam roared.

"Dad, please, just hear me out…" Ben tried to explain himself, but Adam's anger wouldn't allow for it.

"I won't hear anything more of this. They're all guilty of unspeakable crimes! They used the darkness in people's hearts to hurt, kill, tear worlds asunder, and create chaos the likes of which you've never seen!" Adam explained angrily. Ben could now see a part of the creature once known as "The Beast" in his father. He'd never seen his father become so angry before. The tales of his anger and prowess on the battlefield against the dark creatures that infested the world before now seemed to ring true. He couldn't back down now. Composing himself under his father's almost hateful glare to start once more.

"Dad, their children are innocent. The sins of their parents shouldn't reflect upon them. They deserve a chance at having a normal life, just like me and all the other children of Auradon." the heir to the throne claimed boldly. Ben hadn't realized it at first, but his father's brown eyes seemed to shift ever so slightly to a dark greenish color.

'_So this was the Beast…' _Ben thought to himself. Ben continued to stare at his father, waiting for a reply.

"Dad, please.." he pleaded. Even Belle looked to her husband, waiting to see what the king would say to his son's radical idea. He turned away in thought, and then looked to his wife, who simply nodded at him, a gentle smile adorning her face. He then looked back to his son, who was waiting anxiously for his answer. Adam nodded once, and a small smile adorned his stern features.

"I suppose...that the children are innocent." Adam said quietly. Ben tried to contain his happiness, but he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. His father turned to the door and proceeded to walk out of the room. Belle made her way to her son, putting her hands on his shoulders before bringing him in for a hug.

"Well done, Benjamin." she complimented. She let go of her only son to join Adam, who had been patiently waiting at the door for her. With his parents gone, Ben turned once again to his window, staring out to the island that haunted his thoughts. He raked a hand through his dirty blonde hair and straightened out the blue tuxedo he was wearing.

'_Alright heart, the first part is done, but the hardest battle has yet to be fought. Please guide me in the right direction. I know this'll work. It has to.' _Ben thought to himself.

* * *

On the Isle of the Lost, Mal was busy spray painting a silhouette of her mother, Maleficent, shadowed by green fire with the words "Long Live Evil" printed across her cloak. As she finished, she began to sing.

"_They say I'm trouble, they say I'm bad, _

_They say I'm evil, and that makes me glad" _

In the warehouse section of the island, Jay had just hopped into an open window, and joined in on the song.

"_A dirty no-good, down to the bone. _

_Your worst nightmare, can't take me home." _

In the shopping district of the island, Evie had hopped onto a table and began walking across it heatedly.

"_So I got some mischief, in my blood_

_Can you blame me? I never got no love." _

Crawling out of the window of his house, Carlos continued the song.

"_They think I'm callous, a low-life hood. _

_I feel so useless, Misunderstood! _

Mal and Evie had found each other on a street they often frequented, and began walking towards a predetermined point.

"_Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the baddest of them all? _

_Welcome to my wicked world, my wicked world!" _

Jay was on his way to the point, jumping, flipping, and sliding down any building rooftop that stood in his way, while Carlos ran through the many houses that blocked his path, jumping and flipping over the people and obstacles inside. The four had eventually met up at the farmers market, and continued their wicked song.

"_I'm rotten to the core, core, rotten to the core._

_I'm rotten to the core, core, who could ask for more? _

_I'm nothing like the kid next, like the kid next door._

_I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the…_

_I'm rotten to the core!"_they all sang out as they caused mischief and chaos, tearing through the market with glee. They split apart once again, with Mal making her way through one of the many residential areas.

"_Call me a schemer, call me a freak. _

_How can you say that? I'm just...unique!" _she sang as she spray painted a capital "M" on the many buildings and curtains she came across.

With Jay, he had arrived atop a couple's date. Jumping down from a balcony, he continued his song.

"_What, me a traitor? Ain't got your back? _

_Are we not friends? What's up with that?" _he sang as he made off with that couple's tea pot, planning to add it to his father's collection.

Meanwhile, Evie was making her way through a fabric designers shop, weaving her way through the many tapestries.

"_So I'm a misfit, so I'm a flirt._

_I broke your heart, I made you hurt?" _She sang flirtatiously, as she danced around the owner of the shop, who could only stare in awe of her beauty.

Carlos had made his way to another farmers market, and hopped up onto one of the tables. He began kicking away many of the fruits and vegetables as he continued the song.

"_The past is past, forgive, forget! _

_The truth is, you ain't seen nothing yet!" _he exclaimed, as he hopped onto one of the horse carriages, making his get away from the angry workers. The four had once again found each other, with Mal and Evie standing atop the top floor of an old factory. Jay and Carlos were on the bottom floor below them, swinging and flipping from the many pipes and iron beams that were laid out before them.

"_Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the baddest of them all? _

_Welcome to my wicked world, my wicked world!" _

The four had all run out into the street, and began dancing, attracting others as they moved wild and free throughout the condemned roads. The twisted flash mob had continued until they had decided to finish their song.

"_I'm rotten to the core, core, I'm rotten to the core. _

_I'm rotten to the core, who could ask for more? _

_I'm nothing like the kid next, like the kid next door. _

_I'm rotten to the, I'm rotten to the_

_I'm rotten to the core!" _the four finished proudly. Mal had blew some stray strands of hair out of her face, before flipping the rest of her hair lazily. The four children enjoyed a good laugh before Mal had noticed a parent dragging their child around in a wagon. The child was holding a fresh lollipop, that she easily snatched out of it's unsuspecting hand. Her three friends shared in a laugh at the scene. A sweet treat to end a good time, they all thought. All of a sudden, the air around them seemed to grow heavier. Mal looked behind her and saw two thugs walking toward them. Mal knew them well. They worked for her mother.

"So what does mother dearest want now, fellas?" Mal asked sarcastically. They didn't say anything, but merely stepped aside to reveal the one person that Mal feared.

Her mother, the mistress of all evil, Maleficent.

At the mere sight of her mother, Mal immediately straightened up, as did her friends. Maleficent eyed her daughter carefully for a moment, her bright green eyes piercing into her daughter. Mal squirmed under her mother's gaze, shifting from side to side uncomfortably.

"Stealing candy from a baby now? I suppose with the limited scope of evil one could commit on this cursed island, I should give you some sort of praise." the mistress of all evil commented. Mal breathed a sigh of relief, as did her friends.

"Thank you, mother. Was there something you needed me to do?" Mal asked. A mischievous glint appeared in Maleficent's pale eyes. Jay, Carlos, and Evie just studied the interaction between the two. Truth be told, they were terrified of Maleficent,

"Why, yes, dear child. I have news that will change everything." Maleficent said with a devious smile. Mal had seen this smile before, and it sent chills down her spine every time she saw it. Mal steeled herself though. She knew better than to show weakness in front of her mother.

"What news is that Mother?" Mal asked carefully. She didn't have a good feeling about this at all, and the dread that came over her threatened to spill over her very neutral expression.

"Why, the four of you have been chosen to attend Auradon Prep! The soon to be king has decreed to give you lot a chance to see if your generation can be welcomed to Auradon." Maleficent said.

"What?!"

"No way"

"I refuse!"

"I can't go there!"

"Silence!" Maleficent shouted, effectively quieting the whole street. She eyed the four teenagers with contempt.

"The four of you are thinking much too small. With you four in Auradon, you'll be able to destroy our enemies from the inside. Now come along, we have much to discuss. You three as well. Your parents are already waiting for us." Maleficent ordered them. Mal looked back to the others who looked unsure. She urged them to follow along, as it was much easier just to listen to Maleficent rather than have her force them to do what she wanted. Reluctantly, her three friends silently agreed to follow her and Maleficent.

Once they arrived, Carlos, Jay, and Evie had found that their parents were already waiting for them in Maleficent's lair, true to her word. Jafar waited in a corner, eyeballing the many objects of interest located in Maleficent's home. Being stripped of his magic and status, Jafar had no choice but to turn to the life that his nemesis Aladdin once lived. However, Jafar sought to do more. Not only did he steal objects, he sold them back to their owners for a price far higher than their original worth. The Evil Queen had opened up a beauty and make-up store, selling her product at an outrageous price in an attempt to pay for her lavish lifestyle. Cruella de Ville had probably suffered the worst mentally, as she had no way of taking care of herself. Her fractured mind has lost touch with reality, leaving Carlos as her sole provider.

"Mother, why are we going to this school again? I don't see any point to it at all." Mal pointed out. Her mother glanced at her, a slight glare evident in her pale eyes.

"Dear girl, as I said before, you think much too small. The plan that I have devised will grant us control over the entire world!" Maleficent proclaimed. Mal and the others didn't seem to sure, but waited patiently nonetheless.

"Like I told you before, the four of you have been selected to go to Auradon Prep. Once you are there, you will steal the Fairy Godmother's magic wand. With that in your possession, you will be able to lower the force field keeping all of us trapped here. Our powers will be restored, and we will be able to have our revenge on those who have wronged us!" the mistress of all evil proclaimed. Mal nodded in understanding, though she was a little unsure. The Evil Queen and Jafar seemed to like this plan, however Cruella had her own ideas in mind.

"Carlos couldn't possibly go to this school!" she shouted defiantly. Carlos beamed at this. Perhaps his mother truly did care about him?

"So you _would _miss me mom! I always knew you cared!" the youngest of the four cried happily, only to earn a hysterical laugh from his mother.

"Care, dear boy? Oh no, the only thing I would miss is you rubbing my feet! That's the only thing you're good for. And trust me darling, you wouldn't wanna go to Auradon anyway. Think of all the mean and nasty dogs that are there, waiting for you." Cruella stated heartlessly. This caused the white haired boy to not only recoil from his mother's cruelty, but start to panic at the thought of having to deal with dogs.

"Uh...maybe on second thought, Auradon doesn't seem all that great anyways. No way am I dealing with those crazy, rabid pack animals." Carlos swore vehemently. Jafar, after carefully thinking things over, decided he had something to say as well.

"On second thought Maleficent, I don't know how stock I'm willing to put into this plan of yours. If I remember correctly, every plan of yours has failed thus far. Why should I be willing to allow my son to carry out your plan?" the former vizier spoke venomously. The mistress of all evil glared at her former conspirator. Jay, however, was almost touched by his father's attempt at showing care. It was nothing but tough love in his family. Truth be told, it was like that for most of the kids who grew up on the island.

"Besides, I need the young boy to continue to provide stock to my shop. It's all the filthy street rat is good for." Jafar commented, deflating any sense of love Jay had felt from his father. Maleficent however, was not having any part of Jafar's argument.

"I care not for what you want or need, you snake. Your own plans have failed miserably without me. If not for me, you'd have never discovered the world's outside of your own. Your son's talents are crucial to my plan. As for you Cruella, your son's expertise in the contraptions of Auradon's society play a pivotal role to my plan. They ARE going, and that's final." the evil fairy commanded. Cruella and Jafar fell silent, no words or arguments could change Maleficent's mind and they knew that. As for the Evil Queen…

"I have no objections to Evie going. However, she isn't going looking the way she is now. Certainly not with that unibrow." the vain queen commented, causing Evie to run to the closest mirror in horror. Anyone could see that Evie had far surpassed the Evil Queen in terms of beauty, especially with the Evil Queen not getting any younger. However, in an attempt to keep some semblance of pride, the vain queen was always putting her daughter down in any way she could. Maleficent could only scoff at the Evil Queen's pride, however. The wretch had never accomplished anything significant in her time as the ruler of the Dwarven Woodlands. If not for the Convergence, the queen would still be stuck in prison.

"Do what you must then. Mal, you will go to this school. You will find the Fairy Godmother's wand, and you will lower the barrier too this accursed island. Once we are free, we will take back this world as our own. A land wrought with darkness eternal!" Maleficent cried out, her pale eyes glowing green. Mal's own eyes glowed green briefly, as if trying to impose her own will onto her mother, but to no avail.

"If that is your wish mother, it will be done." Mal said monotonically. In reality, Mal had no choice but to follow through with her mother's plan. While her mother would never kill her, she knew better than to disobey or displease her. Evie, Carlos, and Jay knew this as well, with their own parents.

"Good child. Now, I've gone through the liberty of having all your bags packed. Your way off the island will be here soon. I suggest you all take this time to prepare and say your goodbyes." Maleficent commented. With that, an uneasy silence fell over them all as everyone besides Mal and Maleficent filed out of the room. With Jafar and Jay being the last to walk out, Mal looked to her mother, thoughts racing through her mind.

"You have questions, child. You may ask." Maleficent said to her daughter without looking at her. This should have caught Mal off guard, but her mother knew her well.

"How did this happen mother? How were we chosen?" she asked. Maleficent laughed hysterically, sending shivers down Mal's spine. The mistress of all evil turned to her daughter, a cruel grin appearing on her pale face.

"My sources tell me that the king's foolish son is soon to take the throne. His first decree is to give your generation a chance to live in Auradon. It's the same kind of foolish decision that King Mickey would have made. It's a pity that neither he, nor that annoying wretch of his won't be here to see my revenge fulfilled. Once the barrier is dropped, there will be no one to stop us from taking this world as our own." Maleficent said. Mal listened intently to her mother's speech. She had often heard of King Mickey, Riku, and Sora, but they had apparently all disappeared many years ago. The weapon that they all wielded, the Keyblade, had always interested Mal, but there were no texts on it anywhere on the island.

"I won't fail then, mother. The world will be ours, I promise." Mal said to her mother, as they both looked out at Auradon.

* * *

Adam was currently very worried. Worried not just for his son, but for the future of Auradon and all the hard work that he and King Mickey had put into it. He knew that his son only had the best of intentions, but it was so hard to try and forget all that these children's parents had done. He looked out into the garden where he sat, and saw the many flowers that colored this part of the castle. He got up from his seat and walked over to a rose bush, kneeling next to it. He could never forget the significance of this particular type of flower.

"Still your favorite flower after all these years, isn't it darling?" he heard Belle say behind him. Adam smiled fondly, carefully picking one of the roses from the bush. He turned around and gave it to his wife, who smiled lightly, a light blush adorning her cheeks. Even after all these years, Adam was still such a romantic.

"You know me too well Belle. This flower has changed my life twice over. Once when I turned into The Beast, and once again when you were able to free me from my curse." he told his wife. Belle stepped towards her husband and with her free hand, caressed his cheek.

"You know, if you were able to change, then these kids can as well. Have faith in our son. He's had excellent teachers, as you have." Belle told Adam. Adam knew who she was referring to.

"If only that teacher could be here. Sora had this way of making any situation work out, no matter what. We could use some of that right now." Adam commented sadly. Belle smiled sadly in response. She knew how much he missed Sora, Donald, and Goofy. If she were being honest, she really missed them all too. She owed them a debt that could never truly be paid.

"Well, where ever he is, I know that he wouldn't you doubting yourself, or your own son." she said, trying to cheer him up. Adam chuckled, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I suppose your right." he said lightly. Adam offered his hand to Belle, who gladly took it. They were about to head inside when the sky above them darkened. Looking up, they saw that the once blue sky had darkened with dark gray clouds.

"What's going on?" Adam said to himself, while Belle was thinking the exact same thing. The clouds above started parting, but they didn't reveal the blue sky. Instead, they revealed Kingdom Hearts, in all its pale glory. Adam and Belle found themselves frozen in both fear and in awe. They had only briefly seen Kingdom Hearts during the Convergence. It's appearance now could only be a sign of great change. As quickly as the heart of all worlds appeared, it disappeared in a brilliant flash of light. However, one thing had changed. Belle saw something moving out of the corner of her eye. Turning to see what it was, she gasped loudly, nearly fainting. Adam, thinking that she was in trouble, turned to face whatever had frightened his wife. However, he wasn't expecting what he saw. He almost couldn't believe who was standing in front of him.

"Sora?!"

* * *

**Yeah, I totally left off at a cliff hanger. Let me tell you, it was real hard to figure out how to incorporate and describe the song into this chapter. Now, I'm sure y'all may have noticed that I shifted some things around, and glossed over others. Don't worry about all that, because I'll be getting too it. I'll be explaining more of the lore of the new world as the chapters continue on. Now, for those of you who follow my other stories, I haven't given up on them, but it'll take some time for me to get back into the swing of those stories. Updates will come, I just don't know when. As for this one, this is my main priority in terms of writing, so this one is getting special treatment. However, I think I've kept y'all here long enough. I'll see you guys next time. Please, leave a review and let me know how I did! **


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